Complications during pregnancy like infections, could lead to sepsis. Sepsis might cause developmental issues in fetuses, which could result in a baby having cerebral palsy.
When a person’s body improperly responds to an infection, certain bodily functions might shut down due to sepsis. If a person is pregnant when sepsis happens, their baby could be harmed and might also develop cerebral palsy. Babies still in utero might experience sepsis themselves, which could be equally life-threatening. To prevent sepsis as much as possible, doctors should prescribe antibiotics to pregnant people that have infections. If sepsis is not properly treated, or prevented when possible through antibiotics, and a child develops cerebral palsy, a negligent doctor or hospital could be held responsible through a lawsuit.
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How Can Sepsis Cause Cerebral Palsy in a Baby?
Sepsis can happen when the body does not properly respond to an infection. It typically occurs when an infection is extreme and left untreated, allowing it to spread throughout the body. Sepsis in the carrying parent can cause serious complications for a child in utero. For example, sepsis due to an infection could also could cause cerebral palsy in babies.
Sepsis in the Parent
Several things might happen if a parent develops sepsis while carrying a baby. First, they might have difficulty breathing, they could have a fastened heart rate, and their blood pressure might drop. If sepsis continues to worsen, a parent might experience organ failure and a wide range of other issues. When this happens, the baby’s life could be in danger. Sepsis could lead to premature birth and hypoxia in the baby. Hypoxia is the absence of sufficient oxygen in the tissues to support various bodily functions. This could lead to issues in your child’s developing brain, which might ultimately lead to them developing cerebral palsy or other congenital disabilities. Sepsis can be avoided by getting infections treated immediately. This is especially important if you are pregnant.
Sepsis in the Baby
Because fetuses in utero are so vulnerable, they might develop sepsis before the parent carrying them does. Fetal infections can and should be caught by medical professionals during regular visits throughout pregnancy. Unborn babies might be more likely to develop sepsis, as their bodies might respond improperly to an infection. When a child develops sepsis before birth, they are at risk of greater injury. Cerebral palsy might come as a result of sepsis due to fetal infection. Sepsis in babies might also lead to miscarriage because the babies are unable to fight the infections and experience severe organ failure or brain death.
How Can You Stop Sepsis from Causing Cerebral Palsy in a Baby?
Developing sepsis is dangerous for everyone, especially those carrying babies. Get your infection treated immediately to stop sepsis from hurting your child or causing them to develop cerebral palsy.
Any infection, such as a urinary tract infection, sexually transmitted disease, viral infection, or an infection caused by an exposed wound, could cause you to experience sepsis if it is untreated or if a complication occurs. Those carrying children might be more vulnerable. If you notice an infection, the best thing to do is to go to the hospital and get it treated right away. Maintaining regular visits with your doctor during pregnancy is also important so that they can catch any issues with your child, such as a fetal infection, to avoid either of you experiencing sepsis and causing your child to develop cerebral palsy.
In addition to being linked to cerebral palsy, sepsis can cause fetal death and premature birth, which could involve additional complications that might harm your child. Therefore, if you suspect an infection or otherwise feel ill in any way while you are pregnancy, go to the hospital immediately.
Even if you do not experience sepsis, your child might develop cerebral palsy for any number of reasons.
Who is Liable for Sepsis Causing Cerebral Palsy in a Baby?
Although you might feel guilty if your child developed cerebral palsy because you went into sepsis, the doctors treating you during your pregnancy should have seen the signs and upheld the duty of care they owed you. If they had, your child might not have gotten cerebral palsy.
When parents are pregnant, they tend to report any slight changes they feel to their doctors. Because doctors are trained professionals, they should be able to identify signs and symptoms of sepsis. Furthermore, if you are concerned about an infection, your doctor should prescribe the necessary medications to help you fight it. Generally, these are antibiotics or steroids, provided they are safe to take during pregnancy. Your doctor should then continue monitoring you and your child to see if the infection worsens.
Doctors should also be capable of identifying signs of fetal infections during regular checkups throughout pregnancy. Failure to recognize these signs could cause your child to develop sepsis and cerebral palsy.
If negligence on your doctor’s behalf contributed to your child developing cerebral palsy, our birth defect attorneys can help you bring a claim. Raising a child with cerebral palsy can be expensive, especially considering the physical therapy and other assistance you might require. These expenses can be compensable in a lawsuit, provided you can prove that a doctor’s negligence caused sepsis in you or your child, which led to their cerebral palsy. To do this successfully, you must bring your claim within the statute of limitations. This differs from state to state. Parents should understand that it is not always possible to bring a claim when children are born with cerebral palsy.
Get in Touch with Our Birth Injury Lawyers Now
If your child has cerebral palsy and you think medical malpractice might be the cause, you can call Rice, Murtha & Psoras now at (410) 694-7291 to discuss your case for free with our Baltimore birth injury lawyers.